The present invention relates generally to animated graphic displays or signage and deals more particularly with a programmable power source for energizing segments of an electroluminescent (EL) display with a predetermined sequence to produce the graphic animation. Another aspect of the invention relates to the response to external stimuli such as sound or music to cause the program sequence to produce the animation in accordance with the rhythm or timing of the stimuli.
Lighting displays are generally well known and understood in the art and usually are made from a matrix of lighting elements arranged in rows and columns and as the lighting elements are actuated in a sequence, the text or graphic appears to have movement. Such matrix type display systems are relatively complex, provide poor graphics and particularly poor animated graphics. Typical travelling message and graphic display systems are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,651,511 and 4,162,493, respectively.
A further drawback generally associated with traveling displays of the above referenced type relate to the inability to produce an animated color changing graphic.
The above and other drawbacks generally associated with animated color graphic displays such as those simulated using neon lighting techniques and apparatus are overcome with the present invention wherein signage, either text or graphic or both is produced on a flexible electroluminescent sheet upon which an electroluminescent ink is silk screened in the desired graphic image to be presented wherein each segment of the EL display is energized in accordance with a programmed sequence stored in a memory device to produce the desired animated display.